Her desert knight(19)

She glanced at her watch. It was ten o'clock. The time she'd previously arranged to meet Quasar.

She stood staring at her shocked reflection in the mirror. Could he really have just shown up as if nothing happened?

Another knock, this time more insistent, stirred her to action. If it  were Quasar, she had to get him off her doorstep before one of the  neighbors saw him. She hurried down the hallway and peered through the  peephole. The sight of Quasar's handsome face made her breath catch, as  it always did. She braced herself against the effect he had on her and  opened the door. "Come in, quick."

Already she was breaking the promise to her father, but it was to prevent further gossip, so hopefully he'd approve.

Quasar stepped over the threshold, his face more serious than usual. "Good morning, Dani."

He bent down to kiss her, but she ducked back, heart thudding. "You shouldn't be here. I told you not to come."

Quasar had the decency to look a little wistful. "I was hoping to make a  good impression. I thought if I could talk to your father, he'd see  what a nice fellow I am, despite any rumors to the contrary."

She wanted to laugh. Or cry. "And now you can see how wrong you were. I  told you not to come and you totally ignored me. Did you know he's  suing your brother over some piece of land?"

He shrugged. "I did know. I was hoping to find a resolution to that problem as well."

She fought the urge to growl. "You're so arrogant! Charm can't fix  everything. In fact it probably can't fix anything at all, ever. I can't  believe you knew our families were at odds and you didn't even tell me.  I was so clueless and naive I never thought it was important to know  your last name. Even I've heard of the Al Mansurs."

"So if I'd told you my name from the get-go you would have run a mile in the opposite direction?"

"Absolutely."

"Then discretion was the better part of valor."

"Hardly. Now my father is furious and doesn't trust me. If he had any  idea what we've already done together he might throw me out on the  street. I probably deserve it."

By Omani standards she'd been the worst kind of loose woman. At least  she wasn't sleeping with a married man, but beyond that the situation  had no redeeming features. "You need to leave."

"I came to see your father because I really care about you, Dani."  Quasar's gaze fixed on her with the intensity of a laser. "I didn't want  to sneak around like we're having some meaningless dalliance. My  brothers warned me that if I came to see him he'd think I meant  business." He frowned. "And I do."

Dani's heart was beating so fast she couldn't think, let alone speak.  Did he mean that he wanted to marry her? No, he hadn't said that. She  cursed herself for even being foolish enough to think it. "You have to  go. The neighbors might have seen you arrive."

"I'm not leaving unless you come with me." He seized her hands and held  them. Her hands were so cold inside his. "Don't tell me you don't have  feelings for me."

Nameless emotion flared in her chest. "I have feelings all right. I'm  angry with you. You deliberately did something I told you not to."

"Come with me and let's talk about it. At least allow me that much." His slate-blue gaze implored her.

Common sense warred with much stronger feelings as he held her hands  and kept his eyes locked on hers. Could she really just make him leave  without an explanation? Her heart said no. "Okay, we'll just talk.  Nothing more." If his car was parked outside, she wanted it gone. "Let  me get my shoes."

Once outside the house, she glanced furtively in both directions and  dived for his silver Mercedes. She prayed no one had seen it. At least  it was such a popular car here in her affluent neighborhood that it  didn't say a whole lot about its owner. She climbed into the passenger  seat and donned a pair of dark glasses that were sitting on the shelf  above the glove compartment. "Quick, drive away before someone sees us."                       
       
           



       

"You're making me feel like I'm in a spy movie."

"You'll be in a very different kind of movie if my father discovers that you came here again."

An infuriating smile played around the edges of Quasar's mouth. "Why? What would he do to me?"

"He did threaten to call the police. He'd do it, too. His cousin Ahmed is the chief of police."

"Ouch. I'd better keep my head down, then."

She sank back into her seat as they pulled out on to the main road. She  hadn't seen anyone she recognized. On the other hand, she was now  heading who-knew-where with Quasar, when she'd sworn to stay away from  him.

Adrenaline fired through her. "I can't believe you totally ignored what  I told you. You decided to take charge of my life, regardless of what I  think. Just like my ex." She stared right at him as she said the last  part, daring him to argue with her.

He turned to look at her, and she was gratified to see contrition in his eyes. "I didn't think of it like that. I'm sorry."

"You should be. The last thing I need is another man telling me what to  do. Or even worse, not telling me! It was not a pleasant surprise to  hear your voice in my hallway." It felt good to voice her feelings.  She'd been afraid to do that for so long.

"I thought that if I talked your father around, you'd be happy about it."

"Your confidence is both awe-inspiring and infuriating. Who knows my father better, you or me?"

He shrugged and looked sheepish. "You. I confess I'm not used to waiting around. I prefer to get up and make things happen."

"Typical male."

"I suppose so. Do you think you can forgive me?" Already she saw the  twinkle of familiar humor creeping back into his annoyingly seductive  gaze.

"No way." She focused her gaze on the windshield. It was dangerous  looking at Quasar. He was far too handsome for his own good, or anyone  else's.

"What am I going to do with you?"

She decided that his seductive tone was only going to fuel her anger.  "Say goodbye to me for good, and drop me home." She snuck a sideways  glance at him, just long enough to see if she was immune to his charms.

The answer was no.

He turned to face her again, a mysterious glow in his eyes. "I have a much better idea. Come meet my family."





      Seven

Dani's response was immediate and came straight from her gut. "That's a terrible idea."

"I disagree. You'll like them."

"If you meeting my family was an unmitigated disaster, what makes you think me meeting your family will go better?"

"I'm willing to take a chance." Quasar had already steered the car in the direction of the ocean.

"You're obviously more of a risk taker than me. But that's hardly a  surprise since you like extreme sports and I like reorganizing my  bookshelves. We have almost nothing in common."

"Nonsense. We have something very important."

"Chemistry?"

"Something bigger than that. Call it a life force. Something you can't ignore."

"Says who?" Dani noticed with alarm that they were now driving past the palaces of Salalah's wealthiest citizens.

"Me. And I'm right more often than you'd think."

"Not about love. I did a Google search of your name last night, now  that I finally know it." She watched for his reaction and wasn't  surprised when a muscle twitched in his cheek. She didn't say more. She  was curious to see what his response would be.

"What did you learn about me?"

"That you're known as a fickle maverick entrepreneur in the business  world, and that you've dated a large number of beautiful women."

"I can't deny either accusation. I have been fortunate to enjoy the  company of some wonderful women." His smile was barely apologetic. "But  none of them outshone you."

Pride and embarrassment threatened to heat into a blush. What a  flatterer! She shouldn't take his words to heart. "Did you march over  and meet their fathers?"

"No. That should prove to you that what I feel for you is different."

They drove through a tall archway with scrolled gates that opened  before them. Panic flashed over her. "Wait. You can't just drive in  here. I haven't agreed yet."

"Too late. We're here." Salim drove calmly along an avenue of date palms.

"A man who tells me what to do is my worst nightmare." She wiped her  now-sweaty palms on her forest-green dress. At least she'd gotten  dressed up today. Was he really going to drag her in to meet all his  über-successful relatives?                       
       
           



       

"A woman I'm crazy about who tells me never to see her again is my  worst nightmare. So at least we're even." He smiled. "Relax. Don't worry  about impressing them." He must have seen her fiddling with her scarf.  "They're very nice, really."